Lacing-eye for shoes, &amp;c.



(No Model.)

WITNESSQS'.

Patented Aug. 5, I902. L. BALLBACH.

LACING EYEFOB SHOES, 8w.

(Applicaticn filed Dec. .:7, 1900.)

INVENTOR rim rates PATET OFFICE.

LOUIS BALLBAOH, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

LAClNG-EYE FOR SHOES, 80o.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 706,213, dated August5, 1902.

Application filed December 7, 1900. Serial No. 38,991. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, LOUIS BALLBAOH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacing-Eyes for Shoes, the, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates more specifically to a combined hook and eyelet,whereby in lacing a boot, a shoe, or other object one lacestring may bepassed through the eyelet and the other engaged with the hook.

The object of the invention is to producea clamping action on thelace-strings, so that some portion may be laced tighter than any otherportion; and to this end the invention consists in a combined lacinghook and eye lot, so arranged that the hook and eyelet together performthe function of a clamp, all as more fully hereinafter described, andshown in the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a perspective Viewof a shoe to which my improved lacing-hook is applied. Fig. 2 is across-section on line a; at, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detached perspectiveview of the lacing-hook with the parts thereof shown detached. Fig. & isa similar detached perspec tive of a modified construction of saidlacinghook. Fig. 5 is a section through the modi-' latter is formed withhinge-pintles c, and the head of the eyelet is correspondingly providedwith eyes (1, adapted to receive the pintles, and thereby form ahinge-joint connection when the parts are secured between the eyelet andthe hook in such a manner that the hook is adapted to close down overthe eye in the eyelet, as shown in section in Fig. 2.

Fig. 1 shows how the device is intended to be used on shoes. In thisfigure, 6 indicates the usual eyelets, of which there is usually adouble row of live or six. f indicates a like double row of the usualhooks, and g indicates two lacing-hooks of my invention. It will thus beseen that my lacinghook is placed in lieu of the last two eyeletsadjacent to the hooks f.

The manner of securing my lacing-hooks is by fastening the eyeletsthereof,together with the hooks, in position the same as is done withthe ordinary eyelets, all in such manner that the hooks are in positionto receive the lacingstrings the same as the other hooks f. In lacingthe shoe the two ends A A of the lacestring are passed through theeyelet portions of my device the same as they have already been lacedthrough the ordinary eyelets c; but instead ofpassing on to the hooksf,as in the ordinary way of lacing, each end of the lace-string is firstpassed around the hook portion of the opposite device, after which thelacing is then completed as in-the ordinary manner. In doing so it willbe seen the tension with which the lace-string pulls on the hooks b willpress down said hooks upon the eyelets to which they are hinged, andthereby clamping the lace-string where it passes between them.

In lacing shoes it is always desirable to lace them less tightly on theankle than on the instep, as tight lacing on the ankle stops thecirculation of the blood and tires the foot, while on the other handtight lacing over the instep supports the foot and assists it in walkingand at the same time makes the foot look trim and neat. If the ordinarylacing hooks and eyelets f 6 only are used, the lacing cannot be done inthis manner, as the loose and tight portions soon equalize their tensionand the strings become loose over the instep and tighten around theankle. My improved lacing-hooks prevent this,as the clamping action ofthe hook portions preven ts the strings from slipping through the eyeletportion. At the same time there is no more trouble in lacing or unlacingthe shoes than there would be without the use of my device.

From this description and illustration the application of my inventionto other articles of wearing-apparel where a similar result may bedesired is now evident and need not befurther described.

As shown in the drawings, the bearings cl need not be perfectly closed,as the hook will be prevented from disengagement by the fabric when theeyelet is secured inplace. "Various modifications in the construction ofthe.

device may be made without affecting the spirit of my invention, whichconsists in so combining the hook and eyelet portions that they form aclamping-jaw. Such clamping action is obtained by hinging the hook in aplane parallel to and below the face of the press down upon the eyeletor enter into and wedge the lace-string fast in the eye of the eyelet.-

It is obvious that the hook may be articularly connected to the eyeletin any manner that will permit of moving it out of the way when passingthe lace-strin g through the eyelet.

Figs. 4 and 5 show a modified construction in which the hook is formedof wire and hinged to a washer 'i. A common eyeletj is then used inconnection with it to make the device complete and fasten it to thefabric.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. A lacing-hook consisting of aneyelet having means for fastening it to the garment, and a hook formedwith a shank hinge-connected at one end to the eyelet in a planeparallel to and below theplane of the face of the eyelet and adapted tobear against the face of the eyelet at or near its opposite end, saidend having an outwardly-turned hook portion 7 forming an open inlet intothe hook above the shank portion whereby the lacing-string may beengaged into the hook when the hook is folded down upon the eyelet andproduce a clamping action between the shank and the eyelet to preventanother portion of the lacing-string drawn through the eyelet itselffrom being drawn through the eyelet, by the tension of that portion ofthe lacing-string engaged with thehook.

2. Alacing-hook consisting of an eyelet having means for securing it tothe fabric, and

a hook formed with a shank hinge-connected at one end to the eyelet in aplane parallel to and below the plane of the face of the eyelet andprovided upon its under side with a bearing portion adapted to projectinto the eyelet, the free end of the shank having an outwardlyturnedhook portion forming an open inlet into the hook above the shankportion, where= by the lacing-string may be engaged into the open mouthof the hook when the hook is folded down upon the eyelet and therebyproduce a clamping action upon another portion of the lacing stringdrawn through the eyelet itself.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS BALLBAOH.

Witnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, JOSEPH A. NoELKE.

